The Shining Wyrm

1.7

It was not Jewel’s place to speak out of turn. This was Father’s study and his negotiations, his lands and his domain; the Wizards were here to entreat him.

She was his daughter and it was her place to trust him.

But she had to pull every reassurance from the gentle stone beneath the study’s carpet to hold herself back from demanding an explanation.

A comfort reinforced by the glance of concern and soft kindness from her father as he took in her obvious distress at a glance.

“A single Wizard? I note these terms are not specifically for yourself, Lord Sorcerer Fizzbunches.”

All three of the Wizards stood straighter and fixed Father with their version of a composed but steady look. Jewel found a hysterical humor in the least threatening of them being from the partly lidded and apologetic Eye of Tsulogothulan.

The silence was just a hair’s breadth from awkward when, finally, Fizzbunches spoke with his head inclined in a vague intimation of a respectful bow.

“Yes, it would be inappropriate for you to be forced to take on the service of the very one who trespassed your family’s honor. Nor would it be right to even demand that such a service be maintained with one you consider a total stranger now, without proper interview and consideration. Or to have you left without the full boon of my offer if you should find something unacceptable in any single candidate present before the debt is paid.”

None of the wizards seemed perturbed anymore.

There were no subtle glances or shifts in position between them, they stood united and certain.

Jewel had the strange and somewhat exciting feeling of being an afterthought in the room. No visitor or noble had ever kept their entire focus on her father like this when she was present before. A wyrm demanded at least passing glances when they thought others would not notice.

But the Wizards apparently dismissed her very existence while this matter was being presented to Father.

Father mulled it over before looking to the Autumn Wizard and then the Bog Weird.

“Are you both willing to execute the Lord Sorcerer’s Debt as he is implying? I admit not knowing much of the hierarchies of Wizardry but your titles have all sounded comparable to my ear.”

The amber through red leaves of Euewyn dipped into not just a nod but a curtsy, the hem of her robes curling up to either side without any sign of sleeve or hand to guide them.

Tsulogothulan nodded with a stately dip and bob that reminded Jewel more of a swan or chicken type motion than a human nod.

“There are among Wizards many favors owed to the Lord Sorcerer, Weird of all the Alleys, Roofs and Gutters of the Trifold city of Ghergeintat. Such multitudes are his dealings that far more than just we three are an option to answer this debt Lord Rochford. Although to call some of them could be such an undertaking that the debt would be discharged waiting for the replacement to arrive.”

That drew Father to a pause of consideration and a light drumming of his fingers on his study’s desk. Solid old wood that desk, friendly and patient Jewel had found.

“This boon is acceptable recompense for your trespass, Although the decision of which of you three will service it is one I will confer on until no sooner than tomorrow evening. Now, as to the business that you sought an audience with me about this afternoon.”

The Lord Sorcerer was so smug that Jewel was surprised it was not dripping from his every whisker like honey.

“Of course Lord Rochford. I and my company of fellow wizards have traveled here to your lands in spite of the need to abandon our own domains for this chance to study and describe your Daughter.”

Father’s eyes darkened and Jewel tried to contain her trepidation. This sounded quite intrusive, uncomfortable, and perhaps a little confusing.

Why the emphasis on describing her? Any courtier could describe all about her. What need was there of a wizard?

What was so important about her?

As if to answer her thought, the cat continued:

“She is the first wyrm egg within mortal care to hatch in seven centuries according to records searched by my own resources and those of my associates both present and otherwise.”

Jewel considered that, she had read that quite a number of eggs were gifted to the houses involved after the Tyrant war. But so far she was the first hatch in the county. But there had been well over a dozen in the spoils!

And it was not like the Tyrant Wyrm was the only dragon. The knights reported on the feral wild wyrm beasts all the time and there was even a slaying just last year in the neighboring duchy of Kahvheim with three eggs in the hoard!

Which all told would have meant a Wyrm household member should be a rare but not a wholly unique boon to a family.

But for Jewel to be the only one to hatch in seven hundred years?

In a span of lands for however far the Wizard Cat’s reach spread?

Even Mother was not familiar with the realm he and his party had come from.

If she was the only one? Then that made her a very valuable and dangerous asset. That made her Family terribly vulnerable to it.

The Countess Bathory was there to protect them but Mother and Father were more cowed by three Wizards traveling with but a single knight than they ever were by her.

“We have come to you to arrange terms and conditions for our exclusive access to her person for sorcerous study. Such access as stipulated will extend to at least those three Weird present and if possible other colleagues that bear a magic mark showing they are a part of our peerage.”

Jewel had read her letters on rulings in the histories with Alexander. Much of the work of being a Lord dealt with things such as exclusive access to things. Land, Water, Animals, even people in the case of marriage or adoption.

It was a vital skill in a Lord and their family to understand the dealings and responsibilities expected of them.

And this was a deal regarding access to Jewel!

And there were MORE wizards potentially involved?! These three were just those that could be gathered along the way?

Jewel had read her histories, she knew the power of allies and so far every single wizard here was at least granted a title of Lord, Lady, or some equivalent.

That put them at least on par with Father on rank alone, perhaps more or less depending on their other titles and the richness of their demesne.

And this Lord Sorcerer Fizzbunches was owed enough favors by other wizards to dictate their placement outside their own demesne?!

For years?!

Longer than she had been alive!

Not even the Countess had that sort of sway over Father!

Which meant that the Lord Sorcerer Fizzbunches, despite his equality in noble rank, was ruler over at least two lords with far tighter sway then even the Countess!

Jewel found herself curling up tightly against the carpet and floor until her shoulders were almost below the level of Father’s desk.

“To include support from all beneficiary members thereof to ensure by any magic and arms at our command for her and your house's safety from any and all other claimants or outside powers, authorities or persons.”

And they were speaking of war too. It was not spoken out right as that would be a declaration and potential insult to many and sundry. But she knew what the words ‘ensure by any magic and arms at our command’ meant.

Simply having ‘access to’ and ‘right to describe’ Jewel was reason to be preparing for a war with OTHER Wizards?!

That drew a harsh huff of shock from Father. Why would it-

Oh...

Those terms were not just for wizards or sorcerers. They were an open declaration of protection from all comers.

The Wizards would give Father protection from his liege the COUNTESS BATHORY if there was deemed a threat or danger from that way with at least three or more Wizards! Who were prepared to be at war with those that did not bend the (potentially proverbial) knee to the Lord Sorcerer Fuzzbunches for the right to access her?

Jewel’s neck quivered with the tension to resist her mounting urge to burrow through father’s fine carpet and into the safe embrace of the stone below.

“As well as all proper accommodations, limits, legal customs, and clauses as you deem required. For your daughter’s comfort, health, and protection, of course.”

Once again Fizzbunches’ voice was all sweetness and cordiality.

But Jewel could not see if his posture matched.

She was too busy hiding her head under a wing and quivering in as tight a ball as she could manage.

Trying to shrink as impossibly small as the egg she had hatched from.

She could not see anything, just heard the words.

Father’s words were colder than when she had secretly listened in to him passing judgment on a kinslayer.

“You have given me much to think about but it is late. And you traveled long to get here. We will discuss this later Lord Sorcerer when we have all had time to rest and consider. I wish a peaceful evening to you and your party under my hospitality.”

Jewel stayed curled up, even as the sound of departing figures and closed doors signaled that the three wizards had departed.

She trembled and shook at the contact of her Father’s hand on her shoulder.

Only slowly relaxing with a shuddering breath as he ran his fingers through her mane.

“It’s okay, my little Jewel. They're asking us to give them terms. And we shall give them to protect you. It will be alright. You don’t have to worry.”

She felt father’s weight settle against her tightly wound coils and his arm looped over her to squeeze her from either side while he continued gently stroking through her hair and muttering softly.

At some point she smelled Mother approach the door to the study. Heard the door opening and Mother breathing something sharply before she too settled down against her daughter to softly soothe and calm her.

It was not proper, she should have slept in her own room and bed as she had since she turned seven and let her parents get their rest in their own room.

They had both been dealing with all of this for at least half the day and whatever was needed to bring a feast together so quickly.

But she did not stir from the floor of the study, forcing her parents to stay with her until Jewel finally found sleep.